Hunting New England Shipwrecks

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Typical wood barges for coal, rock, etc. (Author's collection)	Bee Line Transportation Co. advertising card (Mark Munro collection)

Shipwreck Data
Vessel Name	Bouquet
Other Names
Vessel Type	Barge
Owner	Bee Line Transportation Co.
Length / Beam / Draft (feet)	127' / 29' /
Tonnage	306 GT
Hull Construction	Wood
Propulsion	Towed by Tugs
Cargo	Coal
Built	1881 at Perth Amboy, NJ
Date of Loss	April 12, 1906
Reason for Loss	Sank while under tow in heavy seas (see details below)
Fatalities	None (2 crewmen rowed to shore in 19' dorey)
Location	4 mile south of Quonochontaug Beach
Coordinates (Lat/Lon)
Coordinates (Loran C)
Water Depth (feet)	120'
Typical Visibility (feet)
Wreck Condition	Mostly flattened and buried in sand and coal
Diving Considerations
Other Information	The Bouquet was one of 5 barges being towed by the tug Hokendauqua in heavy seas. It was the last barge in the tow. During the night, the Bouquet sprang a leak and began foundering. The 2 crewmen on board manned the pumps, but could not keep up with the flooding. Eventually the hawser broke and the barge and crewmen went adrift. As the Bouquet began sinking, the crewmen took to their 19' dorey and rowed to shore. For more information on the Bouquet wreck, see Mark Munro's excellent site http://soundunderwatersurvey.com/sus/shipwrecks.htm